Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Annual GDP growth rates for Tunisia, Japan, and Ecuador 2007-2010

The chart below shows the GDP growth per year for three countries between 2007 and 2010.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

GDP Growth (annual %) (%)

Tunisia
Japan
Ecuador

View the data

	2007	2008	2009	2010
Tunisia	6.3	4.5	3.2	3
Japan	2	4.2	5.3	6.5
Ecuador	3.2	4.9	1.3	2.3

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Band 8 sample answer

The bar chart illustrates the annual GDP growth percentages for Tunisia, Japan, and Ecuador between 2007 and 2010. Overall, the three nations exhibited divergent economic trajectories throughout the four-year period.

In 2007, Tunisia recorded the highest growth rate at 6.3%, significantly outperforming Japan and Ecuador, which stood at 2.0% and 3.2% respectively. However, Tunisia’s economic performance followed a downward trend, falling steadily to 4.5% in 2008, 3.2% in 2009, and reaching a low of 3.0% by 2010.

Conversely, Japan’s GDP growth demonstrated a robust upward trend. After starting at a modest 2.0% in 2007, the figure rose to 4.2% in 2008 and 5.3% in 2009, eventually peaking at 6.5% in 2010, the highest rate recorded by any country in the period. Ecuador’s growth was more volatile; it increased from 3.2% in 2007 to a peak of 4.9% in 2008, before plummeting sharply to 1.3% in 2009. By 2010, Ecuador’s growth rate showed a slight recovery, climbing back to 2.3%. In summary, Japan emerged as the strongest performer by the end of the period, while Tunisia’s growth consistently decelerated.

178 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about bar charts

Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else.
If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank.
Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.

divergent: developing or moving in different directions
trajectory: the path or development of something over time
outperforming: performing better than another person or thing
decelerated: reduced the speed or rate of something
volatile: liable to change rapidly and unpredictably
plummeting: falling or dropping straight down at high speed

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While Tunisia experienced a consistent decline in GDP growth over the period, Japan saw a significant upward trend, and Ecuador's growth fluctuated considerably.

How long should an IELTS Task 1 answer be?

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How do I describe bar charts?

Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else. If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank. Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.